Maison Chapoutier
18, av. De Paul Durand
26600 Tain L'Hermitage
Ph. 04 75 08 28 65
Fax. 04 75 08 81 70
Owned by brothers Michael and Marc, Chapoutier
was established in 1808, and is one of the larger producers of
wine along with Guigal and Jaboulet. Great lengths have gone to
keep the land fully organic. Maison M. Chapoutier has chosen to
adopt biodynamic viticulture practices. Growing on some of the
steepest hills, in the richest area of the valley, the Chapoutiers
pay homage to the rich heritage provided by their forefathers,
steeped in knowledge of the soil and organic farming methods.
The office was in a city setting, removed from
the steep vineyards. Clarisse Merle hosted us as we tasted some
of their finest selections. Tasting first the 1997 les meysonniers
croze hermitage - a citrus flavored wine using only the marsonne
grape, even though they are allowed to use two types of grapes.
This is because this is what the grandfather planted. The 1997
Condrieu tastes of full flavors of peaches, although the nose
is distinctly apricot, followed by a slightly bitter finish. The
1997 Saint Joseph "Deschants" was elegant, with citrus
flavors, but less acidic. Clarisse smiled as she watched us out
of the corner of her eye, trying to see if we could handle some
more. She brought out the 1997 "Chante Alouette" Hermitage
, one of Chapoutiers most famous white wines. It had a nice smooth
taste, living up to its reputation. Emphasizing a peachy flavor
with subtle hints of lemon, the wine was characteristic of the
granite soil that the grape grows in. We then went on to taste
a completely contrasting wine, the 1995 Hermitage blanc. Another
distinctive wine from old vines, this wine tasted of a honey and
toffee flavor, with hints of caramel and butterscotch. This wine
was held aproximately 18 months before release and there are only
3000 bottles in existence. Rich and deep in flavor with a beautiful
golden color, this wine was in a series of bottles that had braille
labels, a personal touch of the Chapoutiers. The 1994 hermitage
represented the best of their red wines, and was referred to as
their baby.
Le Chaudron
7 rue Saint Antoine
Rue Piedonne
07300 Tournon
Phone: 04 75 08 17 90
Fax: 04 75 08 06 61
Cepe
Mushrooms 
|
We dined that night at Le Chaudron with owners
Dominique and Marc Grillon. Dinner was simple and hearty, and
was beautifully presented. Featured here are sauteed cepe mushrooms,
a specialty of the area, and one of our important discoveries
of this trip. Simply seasoned, the mushrooms are translucent when
sauteed and have the elastic texture of a shellfish, such as an
abalone. A signature of this restaurant, we warmed immediately
to the pigeon, quail and beef dishes to be presented in the simple,
brothy sauces. You can practically taste these dishes just by
looking at them.
Enologist Jacques Grange of Delas Freres, met
us at the restaurant for dinner, bringing with him a dozen of
his favorite wines.
|
|
Hearty
Stews |
|
Delas Freres
|
|
(L to R) Jaques Grange
of Delas Freres, Ron Holden, and Judie Vacchina, Guiliane
Dominici,
Ellen
Walsh
|
Founded in 1835, Delas Freres is situated in the
heart of the Northern Rhone.
"Just a few days in the vats it is possible to tell the difference."
The meals you see on these pages were enhanced by these wines:
1997 ST. Joseph - a deep ruby red, has a delicate aromas of blackcurrant
and spices. Lots of tannin which guarantees good storage. Marked
by delicate aromas of blackcurrant and spices, this cuvee develops
a soft and velvety body and structure with a large reserve of
tannin, which guarantees good storage potential. Its dark ruby
color is characteristic of Saint-Joseph, and its granite soils.
Condrieu- This vine, nick named "la Galopine" only produces
from 10 - 30 hectoliters per hectar. The grapes for the Condrieu
"Viognier" from the house of Delas are produced by old
vines on the Verin site. It is straw colored with green highlights,
and its strong nose shows off aromas of great diversity : violet,
apricot, peach, honey, dried fruit. It is a strong wine, but sweet
on the palate, and the fruity finish of the Condrieu reveals musky
flavors. This wine does not require a long storage - it should
be at its best at around 3 - 5 years. It produces about 6,000
- 8,000 cases a year. The Crozes- Hermitage- a prestigious Cuvee,
"Les Launes" is a dark, garnet-red color. The fruity
nose is marked by intense aromas of blackcurrants, plums, and
violets. This wine is ample and round in the mouth, and presents
a strong tannic structure that assures good storing potential.
The 1996 St. Joseph/Delas(Les Chailleys)- a clover honey flavor,
gold peachy apricot flavors, this wine was soft and fruity and
stood out with the hearty, brothy meals we were enjoying.
|
